TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - A program designed to help business executives devise strategies to deal with today’s turbulent economy is being introduced by The University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration.

“When you look at what is happening at Kmart, Enron, at Arthur Andersen, in Argentina, at Ford, you have to realize that no organization is immune to trouble, and business executives at every level need to know how to address the various issues and be effective leaders,” said J. Barry Mason, dean of the business school. “Education does not end when you graduate, and we feel an obligation to provide a program that will help business leaders deal with the changes taking place in today’s marketplace.”

The program, the Executive Leadership Series, will present a series of three-day seminars using an intense, “boot camp” approach, according to Susan Carver, director of Executive Education and the EMBA program. The first seminar, scheduled for April 22, 23 and 24, is titled “Managing in Turbulent Times: Crafting, communicating and implementing strategy.”

“The series is designed for the mid- to senior-level executive who is responsible for developing and executing strategic plans. We'll look at how to go about identifying critical success factors, how to devise a strategy that will provide a sustainable competitive strategy, and how to execute the strategy. It will be a pretty intense three days, but today’s business climate demands intensity and toughness,” Carver said.

Members of the Culverhouse College of Commerce's faculty will lead the series. The classes will consist of lecture and discussion along with relevant strategic management cases that will allow the participants to use the tools and knowledge gained during the program.

The program will be held at the North River Yacht Club in Tuscaloosa. The registration fee includes two nights of lodging, food, and conference materials.

“This program will show participants how to effectively lead during these turbulent times,” Carver said. “The programs will help today business leaders develop a framework to understand how to best position themselves and their companies for future challenges.”
For more information, those interested in registering can call 205/348-0954, or visit the web site at www.cba.ua.edu/emba/execed.

The Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration, founded in 1919, first began offering graduate education in 1924. Its Manderson Graduate School of Business has received repeated positive recognition in the 1990s from such publications as Business Week, The Princeton Review and The Gourman Report.